News & Notes from the Junior School - 9.16.16

To me, September is a magical word. So many events, so many images, mark the face of September: a new school year begins in earnest, the summer heat begins to fade away and is replaced by the much more tolerable (at least for me, at any rate) cooler days and downright chilly but fabulous September evenings, the garden yields its last gasps of tomatoes and peppers and sweet basil, and the leaves are showing just a slip of color around the edges.

And yes, in my mind, the promise of snow lingers not far behind. I love snow.

Here in the Junior School, we have begun to settle into a certain routine born of an understanding of Priory and how we fit in here. Of course, woven through our academic requirements are the fun things that we all like to do: football games, foosball and ping pong tournaments, eating lunch together and enjoying every morsel, getting ready for Camp Ondessonk, thinking about the Junior School mixer, laughing with friends. Yes, we are working hard, but we are enjoying the experience and living large. Life is not perfect, but it is surely good.

CAMP ONDESSONK

Form I parents are asked to PLEASE return the Camp O liability and waiver form at your first convenience, if you have not already done so. We need to submit this paperwork well in advance of our departure on October 2.

Speaking of which, we ask that boys arrive at the circle drive of the Junior School on Sunday, October 2, no later than 7:45 am for a timely departure at 8:00.

Also, please do remember that there are NO cell phones or electronics of any kind allowed at Camp O.

Too, NO snacks of any type will be allowed on the bus going to Camp. Thank you for your help in this regard.

PARENT CONFERENCES

As was mentioned in the last issue of the JS newsletter, Parent/Teachers conferences are approaching. The link for sign ups is called “PTC Wizard” and will be found on the Priory website. The link will go live at 9:00 am on Monday, September 19, and will close at 9:00 am on Thursday, September 29.

Please do be aware that some JS teachers have offices in the high school and thus a certain amount of movement between buildings can be possible. If this is the case, please allow “travel time” between buildings for your conferences. Too, knowing the names of your son’s teachers will be necessary in order to sign up for the appropriate conferences.

Please remember to sign up for only one time slot. If further time is needed, please make an appointment with the teacher to continue the conversation at a later date.

May I remind and/or inform everyone that some teachers in the Junior School teach multiple sets of students, with many parents signing up for conferences. Therefore, early signup is valuable.

HONOR CODE PRESENTATION

Congratulations to all of the Form I students, the Class of 2022, for their signing of the Honor Code and Code of Respect last week and for accepting the charge to be men of honor. We are proud of all of you! Welcome to the family!

JUNIOR SCHOOL MIXER

On Friday, Sept. 23, the Junior School will hold the first of its three planned mixers for the year (a second occurs at the end of January and a third in March). The mixer begins at 7:30 p.m. and ends at 9:30 p.m. I can assure all Junior School parents that the mixers are well chaperoned by a group of Priory faculty and administration, as well as high school parents; additionally, we are assisted at the mixer by high school Student Council representatives who operate the soda and candy stand. Tickets cost $10 and are sold before school and at X period here in the Junior School during the two weeks immediately preceding the mixer. Students not from Priory may buy tickets during the week immediately preceding the mixer. I encourage all parents who may be aware of young ladies who are coming to our mixer to let them know that we do have a dress code for our visitors: for young ladies, modest attire would require no inappropriate clothing, no tank tops or spaghetti straps, no ripped clothing, no excessively short skirts or shorts, and no exposed midriffs. The operative word here is MODESTY. The dress code is strictly enforced, and admission to the mixer is contingent upon proper attire.

THE NUSSBAUM MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP - REMINDER

Saint Louis Priory School awards the Nussbaum Scholarship each year to a seventh grader who displays exceptional musical talent. The scholarship is $500 per year, renewed annually. Auditions will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 21, before school in the music room (Room 111) in the high school. Interested students should sign up on the music room door for an audition time. Any instrument, or voice, is acceptable. The audition should be about 3 minutes long and does not need to be memorized. Please bring an extra copy of the music to the audition. If you have any questions contact Stephanie Allee at sallee@priory.org.

INTRODUCTION TO MONASTICISM

The first in our “Father/Son” series…"Introduction to Monasticism" (or “Monk 101” or “Monky Business”) will include:

a brief history of monasticism and the English Benedictine Congregation,

a survey of monastic spirituality,

a whirlwind tour of the monastery,

and an opportunity to pray Compline (night prayer) with the monks of Saint Louis Abbey.

Form I fathers and sons are particularly encouraged to attend.

XANADU NEWS

Gift Gathering Parties

We hope that you join us for the upcoming Xanadu Gift Gathering Parties this fall. These parties are essential to the success of Xanadu.

What is a Gift Gathering Party? In a nutshell, here is how a gift gathering party works – in exchange for attending a wonderful event, you are asked to bring something for Xanadu, either an item or cash donation (please make checks payable to: Saint Louis Priory School). Everything you donate directly benefits Xanadu and Priory.

Make Your Reservations for the Form Gift Gathering Parties Today by clicking here.

Vineyard Vines Priory Belts— $65

Back by popular demand with a new design! Order your limited-edition Vineyard Vines Priory Belt today! We are only ordering a limited number, so fill out your order form today. Order deadline is Friday, Sept. 30. Belts are $65, and will be available for pick-up at the Christmas Boutique. Please note the belts are available in even sizes, 24 – 46, and Vineyard Vines recommends ordering a size up since the belts run small. Proceeds benefit Xanadu.

Trivia Night

Lights! Camera! Trivia!

Saturday, Oct. 29Priory Multi-Purpose Gym

6:30 p.m. Doors Open7:30 p.m. Trivia Begins

Come dressed as your favorite actor or have your table dress up as the cast from your favorite movie as you compete for fabulous prizes!

Beer, wine and soda provided, but make it a feast and bring your own snacks and drinks for your table.

Don’t miss one of the most enjoyable nights of the Priory social calendar — Trivia Night!

Highlight your family or business by being a Round Sponsor for $100! Need some extra brain power? For $50 you may purchase some “Divine Help” by adding a monk to your table. Back by popular demand is our VIP table option, which includes champagne and desserts for your entire table for $50.

Thank you for your support of Trivia Night and Xanadu!

6:30 p.m. Doors Open

7:30 p.m. Trivia Begins

$30 per person - Tables of 8Movie-themed costumes encouragedPrizes for first place, last place and best costume

POLYPHEMUS CATERPILLAR

Several of the Junior School boys arrived from sports on Tuesday in possession of a Polyphemus caterpillar. Check them out on the Internet. They are beautiful, and huge! The moths which come from these caterpillars are among the largest you will see in Missouri and their markings are just spectacular, as is seen in the photo below. The discovery of this caterpillar underscores the wealth of God’s creation literally right outside our door.

The boys returned their captured guest to a woodsy and safe location so that he could grow into the beautiful moth that he is meant to be.

The beautiful moth from the Polyphemus caterpillar

For those of you who are interested in Greek mythology, you will certainly want to know the origin of the name Polyphemus. The famous one-eyed giant of Greek mythology, Polyphemus first appeared in Homer’s Odyssey and became a recurring character in both classical literature and later European traditions.

According to Homer, the giant was the son of Poseidon, the sea god, and the nymph Thoosa. He inhabited the island which is now known as Sicily with other, unnamed giants with similar afflictions. While contemporary depictions of the Cyclops assume a humanoid with a single, huge eye, the classical and Renaissance portraits of Polyphemus show a giant with two empty eye sockets where human ocular organs would be, and a single eye centered above them.

AND SPEAKING OF OUR GREAT GOOD FORTUNE TO LIVE AND WORK IN THIS WOODED PLACE…

… please do be attentive to the wild turkeys, deer, and geese which often graze along the JS drive, especially at morning arrival time.

LOOKING AHEAD

Monday, Sept. 19

9 a.m.

PTC Wizard opens

Friday, Sept. 23

7:30-9:30 p.m.

Junior School mixer

Thursday, Sept. 29

9 a.m.

PTC Wizard closes

Friday, Sept. 30

8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Parent/teacher conferences

Sunday, Oct. 2

8 a.m. departure

Form I leaves for Camp Ondessonk

Tuesday, Oct. 4

approximately 3:30 p.m.

Form I returns from Camp O

Autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower. Albert Camus.

Albert Camus (1913 –1960) was a French Algerian author, philosopher, and journalist, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. He was a key philosopher of the 20th century, with his most famous work being the novel L'Étranger (The Stranger).

In 1949, Camus founded the Group for International Liaisons within the Revolutionary Union Movement, which was opposed to some tendencies of the Surrealist movement of philosopher André Breton. Camus was the second-youngest recipient of the Nobel Prize for Literature, after Rudyard Kipling, and he was the first African-born writer to receive the award. He is the shortest-lived of any literature laureate to date, having died in an automobile accident just over two years after receiving the award.

Although often cited as a proponent of existentialism, the philosophy with which Camus was associated during his own lifetime, he rejected this particular label, declaring that he was not an existentialist and that he had no philosophical link to Jean Paul Sartre.

My grateful thanks to all of you for your generous support of the boys and of the School. We are lucky, and we are blessed.

Diana B. HartnettDirector of the Junior SchoolSaint Louis Priory School